1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to charging bases for battery-powered appliances and, in particular, charging bases with the capability of being electrically connected in series.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent developments have made household appliances powered by rechargeable batteries practical. Each of these appliances, such as a small vacuum, a scrub brush, a shoe polisher, and various lights, has an individual charging base. The charging base is designed to hold the appliance in a convenient position, frequently mounted on a wall, and simultaneously to charge the battery through a charging circuit in the base. Each such base must be electrically connected to a household electric socket.
The necessity for an individual wall socket for each charging base originally did not present a problem. As the number of such appliances increases, however, the limited number of available household sockets presents a disadvantage to use of several such appliances. This is particularly the situation where several such appliances, such as kitchen appliances, are intended for use in the same general location.
The present invention overcomes this disadvantage of known rechargeable appliances by providing a charging base capable of being electrically connected in series with other such bases. The invention permits placement of an array of such appliances in one location while requiring only one electric wall socket.
Additional advantages of the invention are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.